The Return
by Vivian Argeneau
Summary: This is what I think happened after the season finale. What happens after Elena walks into the kitchen? What would happen when Katherine and Elena finally meets?
1. The Return

**Hi everybody! This story is a little bit different from what I usually write. Normally I base my stories off of flashbacks, but I decided to go in a different direction.**

** This fanfiction is what I think happened after the season finale. I really would love to hear reviews to see how I'm doing. I love criticism. **** Enjoy!**

………………………………………………………………………

"Hello John. Goodbye John." Katherine said with a voice void of emotion and a cruel smirk before she took a kitchen knife and brutally stabbed him in the chest.

The moment Katherine heard his heart come to a stop; she roughly shoved him to the ground. Katherine didn't even bother to pull the knife out of his chest. What was the point? He was already dead. Plus, she always loved to leave a dramatic impression. Maybe that little bitch Elena would find him. Finding her father's body might give her a heart attack and would save her the trouble of killing her herself.

Just as she finished that thought, she heard the front door slam and a "Jeremy? Jeremy you up?"

"Speak of the Devil." Katherine muttered. "Now to get your attention."

Katherine looked around and spotted a large cooking pot next to where John's fingers lay on the cutting board. In the hallway, Katherine could hear the girl pause, and then hesitantly make her way through the hallway and into the kitchen. Before the girl could reach the Kitchen, Katherine quickly bent over John's still body and yanked the knife out.

……………………………………………………………………....

Elena's POV

"Jeremy? Jeremy you up?" Elena asked once she was safely within her house. When she heard no response, she began to make her way in the direction of her living room. That was until she heard the banging of a pot.

"What the Hell?" Elena whispered with a frown. If that was Jeremy or Jenna, then surely they would have answered her call. That immediately made her worry. What if one of them had fallen? Or what if someone unwanted was in the house? They could be a threat to her and her family. She hoped to God that it wasn't another vampire here to attack her or worse, her family.

When the last thought entered her mind, Damon immediately popped into her head. Pesky, unwanted, vampires. It's probably Damon she reassured herself with a breathy laugh and small smile as she made her way to the kitchen.

When Elena made her way to the kitchen and slowly entered, the first thing she noticed was a pool of blood that surrounded the lifeless body of her father.

"Oh my God." She whispered in despair.

As she began to stand up to grab the phone to call 911, she noticed a set of shapely legs clad in jeans dangling off the edge of one of the counters. As her eyes traveled up the body of the intruder, she found herself looking into the face of her twin.

………………………………………………………………………

Katherine's POV

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Miss. Elena. The only other woman besides moi to ensnare the hearts of the infamous Salvatore brothers." Katherine taunted as she examined the blood covered kitchen knife that she used to kill the dead man on the floor beneath her feet.

She looked at the wide eyed Elena before she brought the knife up to her lips and coated her tongue with the blood from one of the sides of the blade. Elena blanched to Katherine's delight.

"So Elena," Katherine began to ask in a chit-chat voice, with a partially curious, partially faux chirpy tone. "How did you manage to do it?" Elena gave her a puzzled look before Katherine continued. "I know you turned them on with your looks. After all, you look just like me…" she said arrogantly, "but there's something else about you that must have them hooked. Is it the sex? Your are doing both of them right? It would definitely explain why you would have Damon so besotted. He always was such a horn dog. Could never get enough of me…." Its was almost as if Katherine was talking to herself while in mid thought instead of actually talking to Elena.

As if she had snapped out of a trance, Katherine looked Elena directly in the eyes. "How did u manage to keep Stefan's attention? His sexual drive never was as powerful as Damon's so its not sex… Unless… there's something about you. Your personality that seems to draw him. But what...?" Katherine studied Elena for about a minute before shaking her head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter." She said before gracefully jumping off the counter.

Katherine slowly sauntered up to Elena and began to circle her. "My God, your mother wasn't kidding. We are exactly the same. Same height, same hair, same skin tone, same… face. I wonder… Elena? Do you have a birth mark on the inside of your left thigh? Shaped like a heart?" Elena's eyes widened in shock. So did Katherine's, except her expression was one that was a mixture of both confusion and wonder.

"It's like we are twins… except born in different time periods… unbelievable…" She shook her head as if to shake the thought away. "Anyway Elena, I'm so glad we finally have met. I so dearly wanted to meet you before I killed you. I was hoping that by finding your father dead and mutilated on the floor, that it would give you a heart attack or drive you into insanity, but I suppose we can't always have what we want. Although in my case, I normally do. Its really too bad I have to kill you. It would have been fun to have someone who looks just like me to control and do what I want. You could have been the sister I never wanted, or never had… Oh well." She said in a happy little voice.

Elena's eyes widened in horror before she asked, "You are so incredibly insane. Why would you want to kill me? I mean I know your nothing but a sadistic, crazy, bitch, but what kind of threat am I to you? Your obviously more powerful because you're a vampire, but what are you going to accomplish by killing me?"

For a split second, Katherine's eyes narrowed in anger before she smiled. A smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Dear Elena, I quite sane. Very sane in fact. Its you who is insane for insulting a vampire after threatening to kill you. And yes, I suppose in your eyes I am a "Sadistic, crazy, bitch," she stated with air quotes. "But your wrong when you say that you pose not threat to me. You have something that I want back. Two very charming men who both are vying for your attention. Something that they used to do for me. Something that I want to continue. Do you follow Elena? Can your little human mind process what I'm saying?"

Elena began to feel more courage because she stood up strait and looked Katherine square in the eyes. "Just because I'm human, doesn't mean that I'm stupid. You have had almost 145 years to get them back. But you didn't. You left them hear. Hating each other because you made them both fall in love with you. They died trying to save you, when all the while you really didn't give a damn about either one of them. So tell me Katherine, why did you really come back? Is it jealousy? That I have something that you want? Oh and for the record, I'm not "doing" both brothers. I'm with Stefan, and Damon is nothing but a very dear friend, and I'll be damned before I watch you hurt them again." Elena was panting heavily with rage.

One of Katherine's bows went up while the corners of her beautifully cruel shaped lips turned down in a frown. "Are you done?"

When Elena didn't respond, Katherine smiled and said, "That's what I thought. Even someone as stupid as you should know when to shut up. I'm about over this little game. We met and I enjoyed our little conversation. Now its time for you to say goodbye. Hello Elena. Goodbye Elena." Katherine said with a cruel laugh as if what she said was an inside joke, and lunged at Elena.

………………………………………………………………………

**I hope you guys liked it. This is what I pictured might have happened after the season finale ended. I could be totally wrong and off the mark as to what happens, but either way I hope you guys enjoyed it. Don't forget to review please! **

**-Vivian**


	2. Confrontations

**Hey guys! I know I haven't updated anything in a long time. I've had a very busy schedule and a bit of writers block. I can't thank everybody enough for all the wonderful reviews I got. I felt so bad for not updating for a long time that I threw this chapter together. I hope it's not too bad considering I've had major writers block. Anyway, enough babbling. Enjoy! **

…

"_Now its time for you to say goodbye. Hello Elena. Goodbye Elena." Katherine said with a cruel laugh as if what she said was an inside joke, and lunged at Elena._

…

Elena's POV

Before Elena knew what was going on, she felt a hard, unyielding body slam against hers. The first thing that came to Elena's mind was how much she loved her family. How she wished she had fixed things with Jeremy before she died. She remembered how much she loved Stefan and what a special, precious person he had become. She thought of Bonnie who she felt like she could share anything with and not be judged. Bonnie who had been her best friend and best companion when she felt the loneliest in life. She was her rock when her parents had died.

Then there was Caroline and Matt. There may have been times, when Caroline had said inappropriate things, weather it was to her or about her, but overall, Caroline had always been a good friend. Elena was genuinely glad that Matt and Caroline had one another and that they deserved to make each other happy. They seemed so happy together.

Mattie, the sweetheart that he was, deserved all the happiness a human being could possibly stand. He was one of those rare people who she felt was completely pure from the inside out, and had a heart of gold. She may have not spent a lot of time with Matt after their breakup, and that a romantic relationship hadn't lasted between them, but she felt a deep love for him. She loved him like a best friend, or a brother. He was someone who had literally been raised with her from the cradle. They had literally shared the same crib.

Last but not least, their was Damon. Damon, Damon, Damon. How to describe her feelings for him…? That was the problem. She couldn't pinpoint her feelings for the big, blue eyed, pain in the ass.

Elena definitely considered Damon a friend. Possibly a best friend. But what she felt for Damon, had begun to go farther and deeper than that. Lately, she had begun to feel a great sense of tenderness and affection for Damon. Dare she actually call it love…? No, Elena thought. She cared for Damon. That was all. She refused to fall in love with both brothers and become Katherine who had pretended to love them. She refused to become the sadistic bitch, which was now temporarily attacking her. Threatening to take her life.

It seemed like it was eternity before Elena came back to reality. When she had felt the impact of Katherine's body slam into hers. It had knocked the wind out of her which in turn, sent her into a surprisingly calm sense of death. Something she immediately came to peace with.

Instead of sending herself into a mode of panic, she was calm. She instantly accepted the fact that she was going to die, and that fighting the monster on top of her was pointless. That was exactly what that bitch wanted, and she refused to give her that satisfaction.

Elena wanted to remember the good points in her life before she died. She didn't want to think about the brutally mutilated mess that she was about to become when Katherine finished toying with her. If she was going to die in a painfully physical way, then she wanted to go with a peaceful set of mind.

All most as soon as she felt the impact of Katherine's weight slam into her, pinning her to the ground with unnatural, supernatural strength, that weight was almost immediately lifted off of her small frame.

Elena opened her eyes in shock as she saw Damon, pinning Katherine to the side of the fridge. His large, elegant hands wrapped tightly around her neck. His larger frame almost crushing hers.

For about a minute, Katherine looked up at him with an expression that could easily be taken as terrified. A terrified expression that almost melted into one of strait out laughter.

"Damon, Damon, Damon." She mocked. "How I missed your shear ignorance." She grabbed Damon's wrist and twisted. To Elena's shear horror, it made a sickening crunching sound. A result that made Damon immediately pull his hand away and take a few steps back. His wrist cradled against his body. A wrist that had to be broken. Instead of a hurt or pained expression, all Elena could see in his eyes was a look of pure hate.

For a couple of minutes, Katherine did nothing but stand there and examine Damon. The silence in the room was almost so thick that you could have cut it with a butter knife. "You look just like I remembered you in 1864. Although if I'm not mistaken, your hair used to be all cute and curly. I used to love running my fingers through your hair. Especially when we were in the bedroom and you would get all bossy and dominant. I remember how you would moan my name…"

"Enough Katherine!" Damon snapped. Elena flushed and looked down in discomfort. Katherine smirked.

"Huhhhmmm…" Katherine sighed dramatically. "Those were the good old days. You were so sweet and innocent. I remember the first night when I took your virginity and your blood. So submissive… Speaking of which…" She shot across the room with inhuman speed and grabbed Damon by the neck. "Don't ever try to dominate me or threaten me. I will kill you and you know I can do it." She hissed at him with long white fangs bared. "I created you and made you who you are. You have no power over me."

"Why are you here Katherine?" Damon choked.

"That's a good question Damon." She let go of his neck. "Originally I planned to come here to make sure all my plans were working out the way they were supposed to. You see, at first I sent John here to get the device the original Jonathan Gilbert created to disable vampires." Katherine slowly walked around the counter to where Elena was now standing. "Of course you should know all about that huh Damon…? I heard all about your little adventure in the burning building. I do have to say I am glad you got out alive. That would definitely put a kink in my grand scheme witch leads me to the second reason as to why I'm here…"

…...

Damon's POV

As Katherine paced the kitchen, making herself look as if she was idly wondering around while she talked, he noticed her making her way slowly towards Elena. He knew from earlier, when Katherine attacked Elena, that she wanted Elena dead. It was obvious. What wasn't obvious, and call him stupid if he was completely wrong or missing something huge, is why she wanted Elena dead…? The thought that immediately popped into his head, is that she was jealous. He immediately scrapped that idea. She had over 150 years to find him and his brother. If she had really wanted them, then she would have done just that. In the short time that he had spent with Katherine in 1864, he discovered she was very possessive. He remembered whenever another woman would approach him, and that was often, she would become furious and often threaten them I a silent but suddle way. Is this what she was doing to Elena?

In the past months that he spent around Elena, when they had one on one time together, which lately was becoming often, he had grown an attachment to her. An attachment that went way beyond what he would feel towards a friend. When Isobel told Elena that he loved her, he felt as shocked as Elena had. After nights and nights of sleepless pondering, he was finally able to admit to himself, that he did love her. He loved her with all his heart. She was the only women, hell, the only person, that was able to look past all his faults and see something good in him. She was the only person that genuinely wanted and had become his friend without using him for anything or judging him. She was kind, loving, smart, witty, and beautiful from the inside out. Something that Katherine never was, and never will be. That was something that made him realize, that what he felt for Katherine was nothing but childish infatuation. He never truly loved her. He now knew that because what he felt towards Elena, was true love. This feeling for Elena is something that he never felt for Katherine. Hell, he knew the infatuation he had probably felt for Katherine most likely died long ago and turned into a full blown obsession. That wasn't love. That was her way of controlling and manipulating him.

When Katherine, who he had thought was Elena at the time, kissed him on the porch, he noticed something very familiar about the kiss. He felt stupid for not realizing the signs. He should have known it was Katherine. After 150 years of imagining and replaying the shy, passionate kiss she had given him the night she was hauled off into the church, he should have known. He also should have known that while he knew Elena felt a strong emotional bond and attraction for him, that she would never cheat on his brother. She was way too kind and good to do something like that. She wasn't Katherine.

When Katherine had been told to come into the house by Jenna, and the door had been slammed into his face, he had touched his lips trying to figure out why that kiss had felt so familiar. By the time he had figured it out, he had already walked to the boarding house where he ran into Stefan who was getting off his cell phone with someone, and was on his way out. When Damon had seen the worried and stressed look on Stefan's face he had asked what was wrong. Stefan had given him a tired, clipped reply of "I just got off the phone with Elena. She just got home. Caroline is in the hospital, and Elena is supposed to meet me there just in case something happens. You know, moral support? Someone stole her bags and dress so she was a little late getting home and had to check in with her aunt before she meets me there. You're welcome to come with me if you would like." Damon just stood there in a stiff, emotionless state staring strait ahead at nothing in particular. Stefan gave him a weird, uncomfortable look and continued with "I probably won't be home till later or tomorrow morning. I guess I'll see you later then." He got in his car, and left.

Damon stood there for all but 10 seconds before muttering "That bitch." And ran off towards Elena's house.

As Damon snapped back from his memory of earlier this evening, Damon decided that the best way Elena and him were going to come out of this situation alive, was to play along with whatever game and whatever plan or scheme she was up to. That was when Katherine began to explain the second reason why she was here.

…

**I know this chapter is a little long, and may not have a whole lot of action, but I really wanted to get a good recap on what had happened earlier that evening and why Damon knew to come back before Katherine killed Elena. I also wanted to delve a bit into what Damon is feeling about Katherine's return. It's actually very crucial to the storyline. **** Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!**

**-Vivian**


	3. Escape

**Hi guys! I've finally updated this story. I know it's been a long time, but I still have school and a lot of homework. College sucks sometimes **** I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I'm trying to update my other stories, so bare with me. Enjoy and please Review!**

**-Vivian**

…...

"Well," she started. "I've had over a century and a half to reminisce about the past, and I've decided that I liked it when I was here in 1864… except for the part where I was poisoned and dragged off to a burning church… Thanks to you brother and your father…" Katherine said darkly. "He always was such a daddy's boy…" she trailed of f with a humorless laugh.

"Don't blame Stefan or my father." Damon interjected. Elena who now stood so close to Damon, that the side of her body was plastered to the side of his as a way of protection, and looked up at Damon with a shocked look. The look on Katherine's face barely hinted an element of surprise.

"For over a century," Damon continued, "I have been blaming Stefan and my father for everything that went wrong in 1864. I hated my father because I thought he hated me and tried to keep me away from you. I hated him because he fed me vervain knowing that it would eventually poison you, and I hated him for taking you away from me and trying to burn you alive inside of that church. I now realize that everything he did was for my protection, and for the protection of this town. To keep me away from you because he saw nothing but pain and hurt in my foreseeable future.

Before Katherine could interject, he continued with, "And for Stefan, he should have never been blamed at all. Because of you Katherine, I blamed him most of all and harbored such a high level of hate because of what happened. I accused him and blamed him for your capture, and I hated him most of all because I thought he stole you away from me. I thought that you loved me, and only me, and when I found out that he was drinking your blood so you could turn him, all I could do was hate him. To be quite honest," he continued, "I don't even know what truly happened anymore. Everything that happened or I thought happened was all based on a lie. But what I do know is that I should have never blamed him and tortured him for what I thought he did and what I thought happened. If anyone was to blame Katherine, I was you. I should have known that you were nothing but a manipulative bitch that you used both me and my younger brother to do your bidding, and I feel like an idiot for thinking that my love, our love for you, would be enough to satisfy you."

The look on Katherine's face was down right deadly. It was obvious, that she didn't like being blamed. Even for something she was completely to blame for. After centuries of turning all emotion off, she tampered down on her look of fury so fast; both Damon and Elena could have sworn they imagined it. Although the look of fury was gone from her features, the fury in he eyes betrayed her, which only fueled Damon's rant even more.

"I also can't believe that I spent all that time looking and trying to free someone who never loved me. Someone who cruelly led me on. I now hate you for that Katherine, and to be quite honest, I feel sorry for you. You're such a selfish, fucked up mess that you're going to be alone for the rest of your undead life, and I hope you suffer the way you have made both me and Stefan suffer. I'm glad you were never in the tomb because now I see you for what you are, and I can now finally be done with you. You not being in the tomb opened up my eyes to a whole new world, and that new world," Damon said as he looked down at Elena with a genuine, soft smile, "led me to this loving, selfless, and beautiful human being that you tried to hurt."

Katherine just stared at Damon with disgust, Damon who was looking at Elena with adoration, and finally Elena who was in turn staring at Katherine with shock who now was giving Elena a look that should have dropped a horse.

"Ya know, I wanted to hurt you before, possibly kill you, but I now know for sure I want to kill you. You ruined him." Elena flinched. "As for you Damon," she now turned on him, "While it saddens me that you no longer love me and love this little "replacement human," I honestly don't care what you think of me. It's pretty obvious that I never loved you. Your brother on the other hand… well let's not get into that." She said with a smile that held nothing but vindictiveness.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a second." Damon interjected. "Are you saying that all these years, even in 1864, that you loved my brother the whole time?" He said with disbelief.

"Damon…" Elena whispered harshly. "I don't think right now is the time for this…" she trailed off.

"No I'm serious Katherine." Damon persisted, ignoring Elena's interjection. "While normally I'd be extremely pissed off to hear this, I don't feel surprised. But if you loved Stefan, why didn't you just choose him…?"

Damon's eyes widened like something dawned on him. "I get it Kath…" he said before Katherine could reply. "you just wanted me for the sex and my hot bod… I mean I don't really blame you. I am a stud, and we all know what a slut you are in the bedroom…"

Katherine's jaw clenched and her eyes became hard glass. Elena snorted and received a death glare from Katherine.

"My point isn't to piss you off Katherine." Damon said now with all seriousness. "I got passed that point a long time ago. I just want the rest of the reason of why you're here…"

I told you why I came back to this town already Damon. God, I swear you're as slow now, as you were when I first met you! Pay attention!" she snapped.

Damon casually snaked a hand around Elena's arm and began to push her behind him towards the hallway that led from the kitchen to front door.

"You know Katherine; you would be a terrible mother. It's a good thing all your eggs are dead. I can't imagine all the batstard children you would have sired, and we all know that little body you maintain, would be incredibly flabby. Believe me, I know. For a while, you were packing on the weight there… I didn't want to say anything, cuz I knew I wouldn't get laid if I did… but while we're all being honest, and baring our souls here…"

"Damon," Katherine said now leaning against the counter, while pinching the bridge of her nose, as if she was trying to keep herself from killing him. "Please shut up."

Katherine's eyes closed momentarily which Damon seized as a perfect opportunity to shove Elena in the hall, gesturing for her to get to and out the door as sneakily as she could while he distracted Katherine.

"Well Kath, as fun as its been to catch up and insult one another. IV gotta run. Babies to kiss and old people to help cross the road and all that. See ya Biatch!" he saluted her while he used vampire speed to zoom down the hall, throw Elena over his shoulder, and out the door and as far away from her house as he could which landed them in the middle of deep woods. Somewhere he was sure Katherine wouldn't find them anytime soon.


	4. Refuge from the monster

**Phweew! I fianally got another chapter up. Homework definitely takes most of my time. I hope you guys like it and review. If you have any ideas I'll definitely try to work them into the story, and please, I welcome criticism but don't be too harsh please **

…

When Damon reached the middle of the woods, by a creak he often visited when he very rarely let his emotions get the better of him, he set Elena down and began to pace, thinking about all of his options, and what he thought would be best for everyone.

"Damon," Elena said with panic. "We have to go back. And before you object, and tell me I'm the dumbest person on the planet, Jenna and Jeremy are still in the house. What if Katherine hurts them or kills them? I don't think I could live with that. Not after all the people I lost. Their only family I have left. I couldn't bare it if…"

" Elena." Damon cut of her frantic babbling. "I may have not been around Katherine much, but I do know that she isn't going to hurt them. She's going to need a way to blend in with the rest of the town without looking suspicious, and killing off your family, beside John, isn't going to make things easier for her. Quite the opposite actually. I'm just going to go on a hunch here," he said as he sat on the trunk of a fallen tree and stared at her, "but I think she's going to want to get close to you. By doing that, she'll be able to hurt you, and believe me, by the way she was looking at you in the kitchen, she's not very fond of you. Trust me, when Katherine isn't fond of someone, they end up dead."

Elena's eyes widened. Not in shock, but because the reality of his blunt words finally fully hit her.

'By getting close to your family, she can learn about your history, about the people around you and who are the closest to you, she can learn your strengths and weaknesses, and she will get to you that way. By killing you family, who is going to be the most useful to her, would be stupid and she knows that."

Elena, was now sitting on the ground leaning against a tree just staring at the dirt. Like what he just told her didn't have any impact on her.

Damon stood from his seat on the fallen trunk and sat next to Elena. He took her hand gently in one hand, and with the other he gently tilted her chin so she looked him in the eyes.

"Elena," he soothed. "I am not going to let anyone hurt you or your family. I honestly would rather die before she hurt any part of you. Any person or thing that makes you you, and any part that differentiates yourself from her. For right now, I need to get you somewhere safe. I would normally take you back to the boarding house but Katherine can get to you there, and although between Stefan and I, she would never be able to get you, Stef and I need our full concentration on how to get rid of her and keep everyone safe. You do understand don't you Elena?" Damon looked at Elena worriedly.

After a few moments of silence, Elena looked at Damon and agreed. "Let me call Bonnie. She's the only person that would understand what is going on and may be able to help. I know she isn't to fond of any vampires right now, but I think she'll take any chance she can get to rid this town of any vampires."

Damon looked down. Was that actual guilt Elena saw on his face? She knew that he knew she was referring to the death of Bonnie's Grams.

"Last I heard, she was living in her Gram's house. I guess she left everything she had to Bonnie. I'll see if I can stay with her. I'm pretty sure she's not going to let any stranger into her house. Especially one that looks like me and can't enter the house without an invitation. We also need to call Stefan ASAP and tell him what's going on." Elena said as she got to her feet. Clearly ready to leave.

"I couldn't agree more." Damon said with an eerie calmness that unnerved Elena.

Calm was the last way to describe his feelings towards their current situation. All he knew, was that he needed to keep a level head and stay calm. If not for his sake, then for Elena's.

…...

**Okay. Heres another chapter. Once again, thank you to those who have reviewed. You guys have definitely given me motivation to write. Even though it takes me forever to update. Sorry. **** I completely agree with **Kara.R.K. **Elena would never run off and leave Jeremy and Jenna. I didn't think about that so I tried to write an excuse and good reason to leave them. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and Please review. They will definitely give me more motivation to write, and I am definitely going to try to update more is definitely going to be a Delena piece. Enjoy!**

**-Vivian A.**


End file.
